The development of Spring Gardens is advertised as 'Exciting regeneration plans for Buxton' according to literature distributed by Threadneedle representatives in the precinct.
Far from exciting, I believe those who appreciate the unique character of Buxton, with its heritage of iconic Georgian and Victorian buildings which attract numerous visitors each year for this reason, will actually find the regeneration plans excruc
iating!'
Regeneration of Spring Gardens is long overdue – that's not the question! Sadly the proposed regeneration seems to mean nothing other than Sainsbury's and Travelodge want to come to town and that Travelodge can hide a multistorey car park. This is developer mutilation of Buxton, not democratic, grass roots, people-led regeneration.
Just look at the design of the proposed buildings. They are nothing other than a clone of similar developments one can see going up in any British city. Please, please do not give Buxton a carbuncle. As for retail outlets, recent letters show what shoppers want and it's not yet another supermarket. The council needs to create opportunities to facilitate varied interesting small outlets, not a replication of our all too bland British High Street. Meanwhile High Peak planners have little sympathy for new buildings in a more traditional style, labelling them pastiche! Well, pastiche has done Bakewell's regeneration no harm, but their planning policies will certainly harm Buxton's heritage. Will you local councillors please speak up!
Let's have some vision, why not open the regeneration of Spring Gardens up to a wide range of opinion and ideas and have a national competition for the architecture of any new development. Then perhaps Buxton will get what it deserves.
G Wild
Hampton Court
St John's Road
Buxton
The full article contains 284 words and appears in Buxton Advertiser newspaper.
